chapter 62

I arrived at the shrine and a horrible scene was unfolding .

Abeno Kaguya was unconscious, she had her limbs pierced by spears and they had been tied up with a rope and she was hanging on a tree .

The stoney floor had a pool of blood, the usually expressionless face with carefree attitude — She now had the expression of a frail girl and she looked like she would die any time from the blood loss .

“Stop it!”

“But… Princess?”

I slapped Serafina with all my strength .

“Just stop this already!”

“But, we have to keep the order of not forgiving those who obstruct us…”

“I gave no such order!”

“But, Linford-sama has…”

Damn you… Linford…

How much do you intend to piss me off!?

You said that you had left this place to me!

While crying I cut off the ropes binding Abeno Kaguya with my Longinus .

And then, I checked her pulse on her pale face .

—–I’m saved… . She’s still alive .

Looking from her appearance, Serafina and the others have held back since Abeno Kaguya doesn’t have internal wounds .

At the same time I felt relieved—- A gust of wind blew in the surroundings and soon after there was an overwhelming spiritual force of anger .

The moment we turned around—

“What happened here? Sakaguchi-san!”

Serafina and the other Guardians weren’t able to stand anymore and fell on their knees from the hostile aura emitted by Morishita Daiki .

I also had my knees shaking— An angry voice came .

“I asked you what happened! Answer me, Sakaguchi-san! Why is Abeno-senpai on the verge of death!?”

Morishita Daiki walked towards me and then strongly gripped my shoulder .

“Wait! It hurts!”

Serafina thrusted the silver spear to Morishita Daiki .

“You bastard! Don’t hurt the Princess! Agyuu!”

A flash of back-hand .

Serafina was blown away like a rugged cloth .

“Subordinates should be silent! I was being considerate this time . Next time, I won’t be . Next time with a backhand I’ll smash your head into small pieces!”

Morishita Daiki has an Asura expression .

And the remaining 4 Guardians got stirred up .

Like they’d understood the power difference, or perhaps they’re bluffing with all they got for my sake .

“Get away from Princess! You monster!”

“We’re… Lela-sama’s Guardians! We have no regrets!”

“You who’ve came to save your ally! If you take hostages as a shield then…”

Then I screamed at the top of my lungs .

“Everyone! I beg you! Don’t come closer to Morishita Daiki or Abeno Kaguya!”

“But… Princess…?”

“Just don’t come close! If you don’t attack him then he won’t take your life! You can’t win… You guys definitely can’t win against him!”

His asura-like expression softened a bit after hearing my words .

“What happened? Why did this happen? Hey, Sakaguchi-san?”

“Vatican’s order… It’s not an excuse but… I didn’t know it would come this way…”

Morishita Daiki thought for a bit and then asked me .

“There was a mail from Abeno Kaguya . There was a mail saying “Help me” . This person is obstinate and hard-headed so she definitely wouldn’t rely on me . Such a person sent a mail to me . I thought she was scared or I thought she felt dread . And then, there’s this mess . ”

“…That’s right, isn’t it?”

“With words like it was order or I don’t know, do you think it will end with that? She was dying… alone . ”

“I won’t apologize . ”

“Haa?”

“The organization which I belong… No, my subordinate did it . I can’t apologize now . ”

“So, what happened?”

“The Vatican is a hierarchical organization where you have to comply to orders . We have our own logic… That’s the story . ”

“I understand the main point . But, there are things I thought for . ”

“Thought about?”

“What are we to you…?”

「……」

“I… and Abeno-senpai surely, too . We didn’t think of you as just another stranger . ”

「……」

“Can you not understand? Since you’ve done it, and grudges won’t go away easily . But, Sakaguchi-san didn’t know, right? Then in that case, even now there’s still time . ”

「……」

He had a gentle smile and extended his right hand to me .

I tried to grasp his hand and…

“Princess…?”

One of the guardian’s voices called out to me .

I shook my head left and right .

I really want to take his hand . I want to grasp his hand so that’ll never be separated again .

But, these 10 years I’ve been raised by the Vatican and I’ve received their education .

I can’t agree about this case from the bottom of my heart .

But, I understand that by Vatican’s logic it is correct .

And above all, leaving aside all of the trivial things, or perhaps— The people that are important to me and who’ve supported me these 9 years, I have to protect them .

I’ve originally been born and raised outside of the Vatican, and in the worst case I have the option of leaving the Vatican .

But, the girls who’ve been raised from birth as Holy Knights, it’s harsh asking these girls who don’t know life outside of the Vatican .

And—

—–Linford is probably an opponent that even Morishita Daiki can’t do anything .

If I revolt against Linford then I and the Guardians will be killed like we’re nothing .

Even Morishita Daiki… Knowing his character, if I ask him for help he’ll try his best to help no matter what happens .

Even if it’s not a revolt… Even if you peacefully choose to leave the Vatican… There’s a chance you’ll be purged from the Vatican .

No, it’s probably the same for me, too .

If that’s so, then it’s best for us and Morishita Daiki to separate our paths here .

So that in future, danger will not befall upon us and Morishita Daiki…

I asked Morishita Daiki for the last time .

“Hey, Morishita Daiki?”

“What is it?”

“According to our adherence, Yokohama will turn into a sea of flames . ”

“I’ll definitely not allow that . I’ve been raised in this city, my family is here and also a lot of friends live here, too . ”

“Yup, thought so . But, I’ll ask once more . ”

“Hm?”

“I’ll clearly say it . The blond-haired little girl you picked up in the other world . And then, Me . Does anything come to mind?”

“Why are you so… fixated about Ariel?”

I was about to cry when he showed a slightly troubled expression .

Truthfully, there are a lot of emotions whirling in my chest .

—-No, still… Thank you .

Thanks to him, I arrived to a decision .

I stood proudly and then I pointed to Morishita Daiki with my right hand .

“Morishita Daiki, we stopped one of the ritual ceremonies . ”

“I also confirmed that the priest had collapsed and was bloody . ”

“This is my last piece of advice . We’ll attack the other 2 shrines 3 days later . We’ll attack them for sure . From now on, it’ll be the theoretical bloody fairy-tale world of the Vatican . That’s why, you definitely shouldn’t interfere with us . Next time you won’t be overlooked . No matter how strong you are… You can’t win against that!”

“That is?”

“I belong to the Vatican . That’s why I can’t understand you in the first place . Besides… I’ve people who I want to protect in this world . I’ve met loving and yet crazy people who would willingly throw their lives away for this foolish me . Don’t you think that’s happiness?”

I made a tearful smile— I made a bluffing smile to Niini .

And then, I picked up Serafina who was convulsing on the ground, and I waved to Niini from behind .

This is farewell . Or possible— A declaration of broken love .

“That’s why, I’m sorry . I’m begging you to not involve yourself with us more than this… I don’t think we’ll see each other anymore . Good-bye… Niini . ”

“Nii…ni?”

“Good bye . ”

“Oi, wait a moment! You, did you just say… Niini?”

Without replying to Morishita Daiki’s word I took the Guardians with me and we left the place .

Side: Morishita Daiki

After Lela has left—

I was casting recovery magic on Abeno-senpai who had a pale look .

I’ve been casting recovery magic for two hours . My MP has become empty due to it, but Abeno-senpai has survived the most difficult thing .

After that, if she gets a blood transfusion, she’ll be to her usual venom spitting mouth .

While I’ve been casting recovery magic on Abeno-senpai, I was remembering a lot of things .

And then, although it’s late… The words “Niini” connected Ariel to Sakaguchi-san in my head .

“Truly… I’ve been an idiot . ”

I haven’t noticed Sakaguchi-san’s signal until now .

She was truly, she… She boldly and modestly conveyed to me .

But, there are also things to think from earlier .

Just as Lela Sakaguchi not Ariel is one of my few friends . That’s certain .

And then, she’s being paralyzed by some kind of fetters . No, there’s more… There’s also the binding about trying to protect me .

I haven’t been able to notice that despite being friends until now, aren’t I an idiot .

“Okay…”

I transferred the sleeping Abeno-senpai and then returned home .

I stayed up all night .

I dozed in my room for about 3 hours, and then I was drinking coffee on the sofa in the living room in the early afternoon .

And, my mother sat next to me .

“Daiki-chan? Your complexion is pale, what’s wrong?”

She said that and didn’t bring about staying up or taking a break from school .

Well, it’s my usual mother .

“Hey, Mom?”

“What is it?”

“There are people who want to protect and people who want to help . She is probably… troubled . ”

“Ooh!? Has Daiki-chan finally gotten himself a girlfriend?”

I held myself back while smiling bitterly at Mom saying that happily .

“It’s not like that . ”

“She’s just an old intimate friend . She’s hiding something from me . It seems she has something she’s troubled by and can’t do anything against it… And she also thinks that I won’t be able to do something against it . She hasn’t told the situation to me . ”

“Fuumu . ”

“And probably, she also has a different way of thinking and lifestyle than me . She thinks that she’ll lose something if she comes near me . No, at least that’s what she thinks . Choosing one from two… Or should I say, she’s been cornered to where she can’t think flexibly . ”

She said the Vatican’s logic .

That’s absolutely incompatible with my and Abeno-senpai’s logic .

To say it better, it’s more about whether I should choose Abeno-senpai or choose Sakaguchi-san .

「……」

“At this rate there’s an option of me not doing anything . Then, they’ll probably be successful however… I can’t just sit still . ”

Well, at the very least, Sakaguchi-san will lose her place in the Vatican .

But, it’s certain that if I don’t act a lot of ordinary people will suffer .

And , the exorcists who protect the country’s spiritual balance like Abeno-senpai won’t let it happen, even I can’t allow it .

Mom thought for a bit and then looked at the ceiling .

“You lose something if you protect something… That might be like that . There’s also the saying that if you chase two rabbits you’ll lose both of them . ”

And then, Mom put her hands on my shoulders and pulled me .

The so called hizamakura .

“But you know, Daiki-chan?”

Mom had a gentle smile and began gently patting my head .

“Discarding is wrong . Things you must protect . There may be times that you have to choose one out of two just like Daiki-chan says, but . ”

“…Yeah . ”

“But, is that time now? Is that time really now?”

“Eh?”

“Mother thinks that boys born fated to protect the two…”

“Protecting two…?”

“Mother doesn’t know in what Daiki-chan is involved in, but…”

“But?”

Mother smiled brightly .

“Father and Mother haven’t raised Daiki-chan to be a boy who abandons girls who’re crying . ”

I smiled bitterly .

“Yup . Thanks to that, I’m worried about various things . ”

Sakaguchi-san… Ariel has had a lot of things happen in this world, too .

She’s being tied down by various fetters and against her own will she said “Please don’t involve yourself with us anymore . ”

That’s why, she was smiling while crying at the farewell .

“This is nostalgic . When you were a child you would always come back home crying and like this I would pat your head . ”

“Un . ”

“No, wasn’t Daiki-chan bullied in school till recently? But before I knew it, Daiki-chan’s face became that of a boy . Mother is happy . ”

“…Un . ”

I got away from Mother’s hizamakura and stood up .

“So in the end, what should I do? Mom?”

I don’t really understand what I should do so that everything will be okay .

Right now, all that I want now… I just want to break everything down with sheer brute-force .

“Fufu . Mother doesn’t understand that either . But, you know? It’s fine to do it as you want to do it . ”

“Haaa?”

And then I hit my palm .

“It’s fine doing it clumsily . It’s okay to fail . Making mistakes is fine . But, you should always go with all you have so that you won’t regret later on . Mother will always support Daiki-chan!”

I’m about to cry .

Just by appearance she’s younger than she looks however, as I thought she’s my Mom .

Although she doesn’t know most of the situation, I’m thankful for her advice .

“Then, Mom… I’ll be absent from school for a bit, I’ll go deep in the mountains . ”

“That’s fine, but you’re going to come together with the black-haired lovely girl and the neighbouring beautiful foreign girl just like last time, right? Please call me when you’re near Yokohama station . There won’t be secret ingredients… I’ll do my best to make a normal dish . ”

I smiled at that .

Mother’s food even when she’s not doing her best is also good to normal people .

“Since there’s only athletic people, please make rice for around 10 people . ”

“Yes~”

“Well then, Mother… I’m leaving . I’ll leave the food to you . ”

“You’re entrusting it to me with the intention of me riding on a muddy boat . ”

“It’s a large boat . ”

“You’ve got me there . ”

While I’m laughing, I done on my supreme armor— my hoodie .

And then, I grabbed my buddy: Excalibur my metal bat which was near the entrance .

“Ariel…”

While talking to myself, I remember her crying while smiling in the other world and it was overlapping with her crying and smiling at the deserted shrine .

“I’ll definitely save you . I’ll definitely save you from the crisis which troubles you . ”

And then, I think .

Yan’s elder brother who was travelling with me in the other world died .

He died to save the hero .

Also, there are a lot more people who died to save me .

And then, Ariel died, too . She should’ve died so that I can live…

However, Lela Sakaguchi is alive .

That’s right, Ariel is alive .

She’s still within my reach .

In that case, I should be able to return her smile .

I grasped the metal bat tightly, and then stored Excalibur in the golf back on my back .

In that world I’ve lost much . That’s why I sought power .

So that I’ll never be sad and then never again to have sad memories .

And then, I obtained power . With dreadful thoughts, I’ve obtained power to protect people .

That’s why I’ll—

—I’ll never lose anything again .

And then, I left the house and started walking, at the same time I arrived at the corner of the station— There was a girl wearing sailor uniform and a golf bag on her back just like me standing there .

“Oh my? What a coincidence, isn’t it? Morishita-kun? Where are you going without knowing the shrines?”

“I’m going to Lela Sakaguchi’s place . I can hear the destination of the shrines from assaulting the main Abeno family . ”

“Oh my? It’s truly a coincidence . I was about to go there, too… I was going to return the favor about the Nine-Tails shrine . By the way, I know where the shrines are so there’s no need for attacking the family . ”

I smiled bitterly .

“How’s your condition, senpai?”

“I’ve completely recovered thanks to certain somebody’s recovery magic . There’s no external wounds, I was all right with just one blood transfusion . ”

“They’re targets are two places . Probably Sakaguchi-san and the 5 Guardians will split in two groups . It’s the end, If one of the remaining bases fall . There’s no meaning if we don’t do complete blockade . And, there’s one senpai and one me . Can we win… no matter who comes? And… if we lose we’ll really be killed . ”

“There are chances and we have to win . That idiot… won’t understand unless she receives a slap . I don’t know what she’s so scared about but she’s really an idiot . Since there’s such a nice guy to be relied upon here . ”

“Didn’t you also rely on me at the time of the Nine-Tail?”

“Fufu, now that you say it, there was also such a thing wasn’t it?”

“Please just forgive me already . ”

“But, there’s also the thing that shouldn’t be laughed since she was so scared where she says her farewell to you…”

I became silent .

After taking deep breaths I said this .

“There’s a hero for that . ”

*Hyuu* Abeno-senpai whistled .

“If you can say that much with a serious look then it better be a good show . I’m looking forward . ”

“Leave it to me . ”

And then, we took each other’s hands and headed towards the station .

The target is the deserted shrines, the place of the decisive battle .